Efficiency of Probiotic Application for the Remediation of Contaminated Soils in Agrocenoses

The problem of soil contamination is relevant today. Soil contamination is generally associated with intensive industrial activities, inadequate waste management, mining, military activities, or accidents. Pollutants (e.g. heavy metals) are accumulating in soil and have major indirect impacts on biodiversity, quality of groundwater resources, and food safety. Soil contamination of agricultural land is a particular threat. Due to the military action and other conditions, the numbers of sites where potentially polluting activities have taken place are increasing in Ukraine. The cultivation of agricultural crops on soils with a medium or high level of toxicity is only possible after the remediation of this area. The use of biological methods to intensify soil remediation processes, thereby reducing the additional burden on the environment, is becoming more widespread. The application of probiotics is an innovative and ecological method for the restoration of contaminated soils. This will enable to improve the conceptual approaches to the implementation of an ecologically safe model for the restoration of contaminated land under the conditions of military action in Ukraine. The aim of the research was to assess the phytotoxic effect of soil contaminated with heavy metals and petroleum products before and after probiotic application. The seedling method was used to determine the remediation potential of contaminated soils. An express test of Triticum aestivum was used to determine soil phytotoxicity. The research results show the negative impact of soil contamination with heavy metals and petroleum products on the biometric indices of Triticum aestivum plants and positive dynamics of biometric indices of Triticum aestivum in variants after probiotic treatment (86–92% compared to the control). The obtained data show that a significant phytotoxic effect is observed by all biometric indices of Triticum aestivum in all studied variants. The highest phytotoxic effect (33.56–42.70%) was observed in variants with combined contamination (PP+Zn+Pb). The results of probiotic application show a phytotoxic effect of less than 20% by all biometric indices of Triticum aestivum for all studied variants. Therefore, the results of the research can be used to develop recommendations for the remediation of land contaminated by military actions in Ukraine and the creation of sustainable agroecosystems.